THE FUR SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 361 



notice on the Pribylov Group, might be the great increase observed at the Commander Islands, 

 and not due to any mismanagement on the part of the men in charge of these interests. Thus, it 

 appears to me necessary that definite knowledge concerning the Commander Islands and the 

 Kuriles should be gathered ; without it, I do not hesitate to say that any report made by an agent 

 of the Government as to a visible diminution of the seal-life on the Pribylovs, due in his opinion 

 to the effect of killing as it is conducted there, would be without good foundation ; that this dimi- 

 nution would have been noticed just the same, in all likelihood, had there been no taking of seals 

 at all on the Pribylov Islands, and that the missing seals were, more than probable, over on the 

 Russian grounds. 



If we find, however, that the character of this Russian seal-land is restricted to narrow beach- 

 margins, under bluffs, as at Saint George, then we shall know that a great body of seals will never 

 attempt to land there when they could not do so without suffering, and in violation of their laws 

 during the breeding-season. Therefore, with this correct understanding to start on, we can then 

 feel alarmed with good reason, should we ever observe any diminution, to a noteworthy degree, 

 on our seal-islands of Bering Sea. 



POSSIBLE DEFLECTION OF SEALS IN FEEDING. I do not call attention to this subject with 

 the slightest idea in my mind, as I write, of any such contingency arising, even for an indefinite 

 time to come; but still I am sensible of the fact that it is possible for it to occur any season. But 

 the seals undoubtedly feed on their pelagic fields in systematic routine of travel, from the time 

 they leave the Pribylov Islands until that of their return ; therefore, in all probability, unless the 

 fish upon which they are nourished suddenly become scarce in our waters and soundings, the 

 seals will not change their base, as matters now progress ; but it is possible for the finny shoals 

 and schools to be so deflected from their migration to and from their spawning-beds, as to carry 

 this seal-life with it, as I have hinted above. Thus it cannot be superfluous to call up this ques- 

 tion, so that it shall be prominent in discussion, and suggestion for future thought. 



NEED OF CAREFUL YEAKLY EXAMINATION. In the mean time the movements of the seals 

 upon the great breeding-rookeries of Saint Paul and those of Saint George should be faithfully noted 

 and recorded every year ; and as time goes on, this record will place the topic of their increase or 

 diminution beyond all theory or cavil. 



6. STATISTICS OF SEALS TAKEN FROM THE ISLANDS. 



EXHIBIT OF ALL SKINS SHIPPED FROM THE PRIBYLOV ISLANDS. As an exhibit of the 

 entire number of fur-seal skins taken for taxes and sale from the Pribylov Islands, between 1797 

 and 1880, inclusive, I present the following table, which, although it may vary a few thousand 

 skins not over one hundred thousand in all, from the true aggregate during the long period of 

 nearly one hundred years covered by it, I am nevertheless satisfied that it is the best evidence of 

 the kind which can be obtained. Prior to the year 1868 it will be noticed that I have given only 

 a series of estimates for the period antedating that year, as far back as 1862. The reason for this 

 is, that I can find nowhere, in writing, an authenticated record of the catch. It was the policy of 

 the old Russian Company invariably to take more skins, every year, from these islands down to 

 Sitka than they could profitably dispose of annually in the markets of the world ; a large surplus 

 being yearly left over, which were suffered to decay or be destroyed by moths, and subsequently 

 thrown into the sea. I can only judge, therefore, of what they took in that period, from what I 

 know they had on hand in their salt-house at Saint George and Saint Paul during 1867, which was 

 forty thousand to forty-eight thousand skins; and this the natives told me was a larger average than 



